The Serpent's Task
by The-Devil's-Avenging-Angels
Summary: The Serpent's Task: Jazine longs for something different in her life. Her family lives in Egypt and she helps her mom take care of all the men working on the Last Greatest Pyramid. On her 18th birthday, Jazine will learn about her ancient past and it will change her future forever.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone, this is my personal story called The Serpent's Task. I just wanted to see how people would respond to this dark romance Enjoy and please Comment or Review._

_Preface _

As much as I dreaded my daughter's fate being dragged into this gruesome world of ours, I knew I wouldn't be able to prevent it. Her destiny, as was mine, is now set. All I can do now is wait until she becomes the world's fiercest monster of them all. That will be the end of me and what my family has become. This Curse will never end; and one day, it will be the end of all living things as we know it.

My name is Jazine.

Giza, Egypt

Old Kingdom

**(Dynasties IV-VIII) ****  
** 2575-2150 **B.C.**

**Chapter 1**

_The beginning of the last day of my life_

"My daughter, it is time." mother said to me.

My name is Jazine. I live in Giza, Egypt, the time of the pyramids. My father is one of the workers that are helping to build the grandest pyramid of all. My job is to work with my mother and help her take care of the men that are working on the pyramid. There are about ten thousand men working in the blazing sun, but it is well worth it if it is for our _pharaoh_! Or so that's what they want me to think.

"Mama, tell me again why we must do this. It's so tiring and I really want to learn how to…to write or read or even both." I pleaded again. I don't know how many times I've asked this of her. I already know the answer, but I am determined to get my way. I know my destiny and it is not here.

"Please daughter not now, we are much too busy!" she said once again not answering my question.

"Fine…" I muttered under my breath.

She will not listen to me now; we had to get over to where the other women were waiting for us. I gathered all the material I was going to need to make the new clothes and we both set out.

My birthday is tomorrow and I will be turning eighteen. My mother says that this is a major event. She won't tell me what will be so major about it. All I'm hoping is that marriage is NOT involved! I will not be able to handle that. I'm sure that that has nothing to do with it because my mother wouldn't be able to keep a secret that big away from me. She never could keep things to herself.

"Ma, can you please tell me that you did not arrange a married for tomorrow?" I asked.

"Jazine, you're not getting married you're just…going to Change…" she said the last part in a whisper and hesitated to say something more but changed her mind.

At this time, I would have questioned her even further but there was a sharp pain beyond compare that shot through my left hand at that moment. I yelp and dropped the material I was holding to grab my hand.

Ever since I was born I had a very bizarre birthmark that started from the palm of my left hand to my elbow. It wasn't so hideous that I would never let anyone see it; it was very…_beautiful, _in an odd sort of way. People have said that it reminded them of a serpent that wound itself around my arm and placed its head in my palm. Of course now I'm known to be the one with the serpent hand. My mother said that I shouldn't worry myself about it, it wasn't truly noticeable. She was right about that. Against my coffee colored skin it just looked a smidge darker than the rest of me, but at this moment while I looked at my arm, it glowed a deep red that looked like a glowing ruby.

While I stood there in horror, my mother picked up the fabric that I dropped in a blinding speed and had it wrapped around my arm in half a second. I couldn't breath; I just stood there looking at my mother like I never saw her before. She was a very beautiful person, so was my father, but this was something that I never witnessed before and I couldn't bring myself to say anything.

"Jazine snap out of it and walk!" she hissed at me.

I immediately shook myself out of my shock and started walking over to the building. She never spoke to me in such a sharp tone before and it frightened me. She was always such a happy, positive person. Even when she was mad, she never let it get her down. This was a new side I was seeing and it scared me. I knew a Change was coming! I just wish I knew what it was.

As we approached the building, I still couldn't bring myself to speak. I was too afraid that if I opened my mouth, I would scream and wouldn't be able to stop. As we passed by the other women, I nodded my head respectfully and continued toward my table where my best friend Gana and Sari were sitting. My arm never did stop hurting but it wasn't as intense as it was a moment ago. My mother left once I got to my table and went to go sit in her usual spot. I truly never noticed that she didn't sit with anyone, even though she is very social. She gets three times as much work done than any other women here and still has time to do more! I guess I just thought my group talked too much to get anything done.

"Jazine, JAZINE?" Gana called.

" Huh," I replied to my curious friends who were staring at me like I was crazy.

"What are you staring at? We've been trying to get your attention for a full minute! We do have to get started you know." Sari said.

"Yes, I know, sorry about that I just have…a lot to think about that's all."

"Well don't leave us out! What are you _so _preoccupied about?"

"Nothing, it's nothing important."

"Fine well let's get to work, if I don't finish at least two outfits today my mom's going to be on my case!" Sari yelped.

"Yeah I know we have been lacking in our share around here." I sighed.

"Okay what is wrong? You look depressed and you shouldn't be since your birthday is tomorrow!"

"Sari I'm not depressed, I'm just thinking about what's going to _Change_ tomorrow." I said even lower than before.

"Nothing is going to change! You're just turning a year older and you'll be of the age to marry a glorious suitor!" Gana said suddenly cheerful.

"You are the youngest and now we all will be able to be courted by a man without feeling bad for each other." Gana was about ready to jump out her chair and do a back flip.

"Ugh! I really don't want to talk about this right now. Let's just get back to work." I replied, totally draining out her cheerful mood. They both looked at me with concerned eyes but said nothing more.

For the rest of the day we worked in silence and for the first time, we actually pulled off making ten new outfits. Sari was ecstatic after we finished the tenth piece.

"I can't believe we actually pulled this off!" she shrieked, "I mean I knew we could do it."

"Sure," I muttered under my breath, but she didn't hear me because she was already off talking about another subject with Gana. So I got up and put our finished pieces in the basket. It was a long day and all I want to do is go home and sleep.

I met up with my mother at the front entrance and we left. Mama was still very tense when we got to the house. The sun was setting and it lit up the sky so beautifully that I couldn't look away.

"Jazine I have….I have something to tell you." She spoke so softly that I didn't even realize she was talking to me until she spun me around to face her.

"Ma what is it?"

Her eyes, they were filled with sorrow and regret. All I wanted at that time was to hug her tightly and try to bring my happy, cheerful mother back to my side. When I moved to try she tightened her grip on my shoulders and pushed me toward my cot. She sat us both down and reached out to hold my left hand. She lightly traced my birthmark with two fingers and when she reached my palm she looked up; stared straight into my eyes and told me that we are the C_omoni_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_How could this be? Where did I go wrong?_

"What!" I yelled ripping my hand out of her grip.

"How could you say such a thing? We are not Comonis!"

I practically spat at her, furious that she could say such a barbaric thing. Comonis are the most vicious, vial, fiercest creatures in the world. Comoni means _the devils children. _ It is another name for what is soon to known as Vampires. How could she call us _that_! My mom just sat there patiently waiting for me to calm down. When there was no sign of that, she sighed and looked out the window.

"Jaz, you must calm down so I can explain." She said still not looking at me.

I took a few deep breaths to settle myself and sat down beside her again. She finally looked at me, and I could see the pain this was causing her. Her beautiful ocean blue eyes were so dark with despair that I couldn't dare point my anger toward her.

"I guess I should start from the beginning, too bad no one truly knows when this all began." she said with a little laugh.

"All we know is that we were all born human and lived a normal life until we come upon our 18th year. Everything changes then and we become the monsters we feared the most." She looked down my hand.

I studied her face and tried to take in her words. Does she mean that I'm going to become that _thing_? That I am going to become a…but I couldn't finish my thought. I wouldn't believe it. By the way my mother looked; I couldn't help but know that she was indeed telling the truth.

"No!" I gasped. "No, No, NO this can't happen to me!" I shrieked.

"I can't become that, not now."I said struggling to my feet but my mom pulled me back down.

"You have no choice, none of us did. This curse will continue to pass down through us until the day it destroys the world." she said in a dead voice, looking through me to what I will become.

"No I…I...I..." stuttering to find something to say, but finding nothing. My mind went blank and I fell into silence all together. My mother's eyes got wide and then fell to the ground. She was still holding my hand.

I just wrapped my arms around her neck and cried. She hugged me back and I let everything out. Once I started settling into a whimper she pulled me back. She stared at my face, wiping away two small tears that escaped. Her expression changed; it was now hard and serious like she was trying to cover up her emotions.

"Ok Jazine I need your utmost cooperation. We are running out of time, so I need you to promise me that you won't interrupt and…"

"Wait what do you mean were running out of time?" I barely crocked out, interrupting her and holding off another set of tears.

"If you don't let me finish, I won't be able to tell you." She said annoyed. I nodded and wrapped my arms across my chest as tightly as possible.

"Like I was saying, I can't have you interrupting or questioning me from beyond this point. Can you do this for me?" She asked with pleading eyes. I nodded again and she went on.

"Good, first of all I must tell you why you were born with that birthmark." I opened my mouth in protest but she raised her finger to silence me.

"You must not interrupt!" she said this even colder now and I shuddered.

"Every newborn Comoni is born with a certain symbol or mark to show the power that they will possess when they transform." She then raised her sleeve above her shoulder to show me a mark of her own. It was shaped like a scorpion.

"This mark shows another Comoni that I am very strong, fast, and have deadly venom in my fangs and nails. So if I were to get into a fight with that person and was able to scratch or bite them… there wouldn't be any chance of survival." She said the last part with a slight smile on her face and danger in her eyes.

This was not my mother and for once I truly saw what she really was. Her facial features and body started to rearrange itself into a more dangerous weapon. Her eyes were piercing like a hawk the color changed from blue to a blood thirsty red. Her hand curled into claws, her body firmed and tightened and her ears got the slightest bit pointier. It was hard to believe, but she was even more beautiful this way. There was a low but defying growl that ripped through the room, I realized it was coming from my mother and she bared her pearl white fangs at me. I knew, for the first time, that I was in mortal danger.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_What did I…become?_

I jumped off of the cot and sprinted as fast as I could toward the front door. Before I even got half-way across the room, my mother was at the front door, staring at me with an amused expression. My eyes trailed along her figure, memorizing every detail. Her hair went from a muddy brown to jet black; she wore it down so that it touched her lower back. Her face was so stunningly beautiful, that it took a lot of strength to look away. Her eyes were still a blood thirsty red but that didn't bother me as much. Her arms were definitely thicker so were her legs. It was like she had been working out for months, 24 hours a day. Everything on her was skin tight.

I was dumbfounded, this was so amazing. I still couldn't move and she took advantage of the moment. She bent down into a low crouch, eyes never leaving my face and leaped as graceful as a lion. She had me on the cot in a matter of seconds and my mouth fell open. _How did she do that_ was the only question I could think of, she chuckled at my expression. She then converted back into her human-like form.

"Now I just showed you a couple of things you will be able to do…you didn't really believe I was going to hurt you?"

I didn't answer, I couldn't. I just shook my head slowly.

She laughed but there was no humor behind it. "I only did that to see how you would react. Obviously that wasn't the best idea."

She shifted her weight. I waited for her to continue. She looked at me with apologetic eyes waiting for me to forgive her.

"Ma-" my voice broke and a small tear rolled down my cheek. She quickly wiped it off and gave me a small hug.

"You said that…that I didn't have much time…when _exactly…_ is my time up?" I whispered.

"Yes that is a serious question. You will begin to transform when the moon reaches the highest point in the sky. Your father will be here shortly, he has to be here before that time comes."

"Why?"

"All I can tell you now is that when you finally realize what you have done; don't regret it, it's for your survival." Her eyes were filled with so much love and devotion that I had to look away.

I didn't want to know what she meant by that so I got up to start dinner. By this time, stars were lighting up the sky and surrounded the moon. I knew my time was nearing its end. An hour passed; at least that's what it showed on the sun dial; however it felt longer than that. My mom didn't bring the topic up again and neither did I. Father finally can in, he looked so exhausted, but I knew better now than to believe it. It was all just an act put on for the humans and their human child. He came over to me and kissed me on the forehead then complimented me on how good dinner smelled.

"Thanks, I try my best." It really did smell good, might as well make our last dinner perfect.

He smiled; my mother glided to his side and kissed him on his cheek. He cupped my mother's face in his hands and kissed her gently on the lips. She smiled and beckoned him to follow her. They left the room and I went to sit by the window. Nothing could brighten my mood now; I can't believe my life would be over.

The sky grew into a dark sea of black and violet. It reminded me of my father's eyes. They changed color depending on his mood. They could be as light as the sky blue or as unique as the nights midnight violet. My eyes are exactly the same, very rare colors for Egyptians so we were always complimented. It seemed like the star goddess, Var, was shinning down on me. I decided it was a good idea to pray to her. It's never a good idea to pray for your own personal desires, but I really wanted a day or a week more with my family before I had to say good bye. Maybe they will forgive me for this selfish request and pity me on what will be my future.

My parents finally came out. The table was set and we ate in silence. I was a perfect combination of them. I had my father's eyes and nose and my mother's cheeks and full lips. My hair was combined, my father's hair was jet black and my mom's was a muddy brown. Mine came to be off black. The rest of me, of course, resembled my mother, but you would never mistake me to be someone else's child.

Once everyone had finished, I started clearing off the table.

"Jaz, there is no need for that, I'll do it." Papa said, putting out his hands.

I was shocked because it was always my job to set and clear the table.

"Go on with your mom to the bedroom, don't worry about this." He said with a small smile.

"Umm…Ok." I muttered handing him the dishes.

He took the dishes I handed to him and had everything in a small pile in one arm. He turned toward the washing area and disappeared.

"Come on Jazine." My mother said.

I tried taking my time getting to her. I wanted to remember everything at that moment. I only took two steps when my hand, for the second time today, started to glow a blood red. This time as I stared at my hand the head of the snake started shifting and slithered its way up to the back of my hand and then up to my middle finger. I fell to my knees in terror. The glow started crawling up my arm and the pain was ten times worse then this morning's. My head fell back and a scream built up in the back of my throat. Before it had a chance to escape my mother appeared in front of me and covered my mouth, locking my jaw in place.

I stared at her in disbelief. _Has she_ _lost her mind?_ How could she let me suffer like this? I looked at her face and it was expressionless, her eyes were black. My father appeared and I looked at him with pleading eyes praying that he would pry my mother off of me. Instead of doing that he bent down and pinned my arms down on the floor.

"_Ok this is just a horrible dream that's all."_ I said to myself.

By this time the fire had engulfed the entire left side of my body. I could feel the difference in my body. My eyesight had sharpened; I could see every single detail in the air. Every speck of dust, it was astonishing. My hearing had become very acute and my sense of smell increased. My body tightened and strengthened. My hands curled into claws and started digging into the floor. Father tightened his grip on my arms and I stopped. Then my parents, at the same time, started converting into their Comoni form.


End file.
